Special Number calls may be placed using a variety of mobile communication devices. By way of example and not by way of limitation, special number calls maybe placed using land line telephones using a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS), Internet Protocol (IP) phones, mobile telephones, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices, “Smart” phones, automatic crash notification (ACN) units, mobile radio devices and other communication devices.
A special number call may involve a specialized need that may be best addressed by a function-focused specialized responder. By way of example and not by way of limitation, a special number call reporting a wildfire may be best fielded by a firefighters' command center, an accident related with a traffic jam pursuant to a football game may best be addressed by a university police command center and during a presidential visit all special service calls within a projected movement zone for the President may best be handled by the US Secret Service (USSS). Some responders may maintain function-focused answering units that may be communicatingly coupled to handle a special number call requiring function-focused assistance.
Changing locations, conditions, services sought by the call or other circumstances may require that the routing of the special number call may need to be reevaluated so that coupling with new or additional function-focused entities may need to be effected during the special number call.
Examples of such special number calls are 9-1-1 calls for seeking emergency services and other abbreviated number calls for non-emergency special services, such as “N-1-1” systems. Examples of such N-1-1 systems include “3-1-1” (urgent but not emergency calls) and “5-1-1” (traffic inquiry calls). Special number calls may also include, by way of further example and not by way of limitation, abbreviated numbers for calling commercial services, such as “*820” (calling a radio station) or “GOTIX” (calling for tickets).
For purposes of illustration, by way of example and not by way of limitation, the present invention will be described in the context of an emergency service network in the United States, commonly referred to as a 9-1-1 network. The teachings of the present invention are equally applicable, useful and novel in other special number calling systems, such as maintenance service networks, college campus security networks, abbreviated number networks for calling commercial services and other networks.
A user engaged in a 9-1-1 call seeking emergency services relies on an emergency service call taker or receiver, such as an operator at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP; sometimes referred to as a Public Safety Answering Position), to marshal appropriate and sufficient assets to handle an extant emergency situation. Such marshalling is often best carried out by conferring with asset holders, such as first responders (e.g., fire, police and emergency personnel) and the like. Direct communications among an emergency service caller and responding agencies rather than relaying information among participants can be an effective and efficient mode of operation for handling a situation.
Direct involvement by specialized responders may be especially advantageous when a function-focused entity is involved in the call so that their special expertise can be brought to bear early on in the situation giving rise to the call. The PSAP may bridge the call to the function-focused entity, may reroute the call to the function-focused entity, may establish a conference call arrangement whereby the PSAP and the function-focused entity both remain on the line or may otherwise include the function-focused entity in the call.
It may be advantageous to carry out the coupling by, for example, rerouting or bridging at a network switching facility. Network switching facilities may include, by way of example and not by way of limitation, a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) coupled with a radio access network or an unlicensed mobile access network, or an End Office (EO) coupled with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
Dynamic routing or bridging or other coupling to a function-focused answering unit is particularly advantageous in that dynamic re-coupling may be carried out in a manner that does not break the connection with the caller and permits re-coupling of the caller with the function-focused answering unit without the caller having to redial the call.
There is a need for a system and method for dynamically coupling a special number call with a function-focused answering unit. For purposes of this description, the term “dynamic coupling” means coupling that may be carried out in a manner that does not break a connection between a caller and a first call recipient and permits re-coupling of the caller with at least one second call recipient without the caller having to redial the call.